The Ancient Orient at the Exhibition Celebrating the Centenary of the Ferenc Hopp Museum

For a long time, the Ferenc Hopp Museum in Budapest had been in decline, but in 2021 it finally came back to life with a temporary exhibition marking the centenary of its foundation.

Apparently, the museum’s new concept is based on displaying selected objects around specific themes. From a marketing perspective, this is certainly a sound approach, but seeing “everything at once” will probably no longer be possible. It is therefore fortunate that I managed to visit the museum before it closed for its reorganization.

The first temporary exhibition brought together objects from different thematic collections, organized geographically (China, Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia). Here, I will focus on ancient China, Central Asia, and the Caucasus.

Maitreya with two bodhisattvas and two disciples. Northern Qi, 550–577 CE.

Reverse side — Shakyamuni Buddha with his disciples.

Bear-shaped foot, 3rd–5th century, China.

Bodhisattva, bronze, Tang dynasty, 650–750 CE.

Head of a devatā from the Cave of Māyā, Kizil, 7th century.

Tiger-shaped amulet, 4th–1st century BCE.

Bronze, 5th–4th century BCE, Inner Mongolia.

Bronze, 3rd–2nd century BCE, northwestern China.

Bronze, 4th century BCE, China.

Bronze, 7th–3rd century BCE, Southern Siberia.

Gladiator, 2nd–3rd century CE, Caucasus, Baksan and Chegem valleys.

Sasanian glass, 6th–7th century CE, Kuban region.

Gold belt fittings, 4th–5th century CE, Caucasus, Baksan and Chegem valleys.

“Nestorian crosses” (belt strap distributors), bronze, Yuan dynasty (13th–14th century), northern China.

Sandstone, 9th–10th century, Tang dynasty.

3rd–4th century CE, Gandhara.

3rd–4th century CE, Gandhara.

Grey schist, 1st–2nd century CE, Gandhara.

 

Grey schist, 1st–3rd century CE, Gandhara.

Grey schist, 2nd–3rd century CE, Gandhara.

Clay, Sui dynasty (581–618 CE).

Jade, 1200–1000 BCE.

Rider with a hunting leopard, 7th–8th century CE, China.